Jama Suru
Iga Suru was a member of a minor vassal family of the Shiba who became a powerful maho-tsukai known as Jama Suru. He was also the first to pledge his soul to Iuchiban's service, and it was rumored that Jama Suru was the one who introduced the intricacies of maho to Iuchiban. Bound to a kansen, he had been killed many times, only to be reborn again. Appearance Suru was usually dressed in a plain brown kimono. His head was shaven like a monk's, with dark brown eyes. Suru wielded a scowling mempo, called Suru's Mempo, that was the symbol of the true Dark Lord and was emblazoned upon his right sleeve, guiding his sword arm. Legions, Part IV, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Early Years Family Iga Suru was born in the Iga family, a minor vassal family of the Shiba. Suru's father was the daimyo of the tiny family, and Suru was destined to be leader too. Suru was a sullen boy, aware of his inferiority to other samurai. He did not want live as a man of no importance, and his outbursts became more and more frequent. Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 64 Hantei Jama When he was sixteen, the younger son of the Emperor Hantei Jama passed through his village on the way to Shiro Shiba. Jama was not his father's favorite, and was guarded by a yojimbo alone. While his fathers were greeting the Imperial, Suru's rage and frustration built quickly. He leaped out at the Hantei boy and tackled him before the yojimbo had a chance to react. Suddenly three bandits appeared, prepared to kidnap the Emperor's son, and killed the yojimbo and Suru's parents, the only samurai present. Suru and Jama seemed two mud-caked boys wrestling, so the bandits asked where the Hantei boy was. Suru stammered that he did not know and the bandits could not identify Jama themselves, leaving the two teenage boys alive. Jama granted Suru his name for saving his life, and Jama Suru would be Suru's name since then. Secrets of the Shadowlands, pp. 64-65 Jama's Servant Suru moved to Otosan Uchi with the Imperial Prince Hantei Jama, son of the Emperor Hantei X. Suru, Asahina Yajinden, and Doji Tsugiko were the only friends of Jama. His older brother, the Imperial Heir, was beloved and worshipped by all around him because he would one day be Emperor. When the heir became terrible ill and it looked like Hantei Jama would be the future Emperor, the children turned to him, including the heir's best friend Matsu Arashige. Suru, Yajinden, and Tsugiko were left apart. As soon as Jama's elder son recovered, things became as before the illness. In his gempukku Hantei Jama abdicated the throne and abandoned the Hantei name, becoming Otomo Jama, as was tradition. Shortly after Suru and Yajinden were called by Jama and Tsugiko, and they saw the body of Arashige, stabbed to death. They hid the corpse and the assassin was not exposed. Enemy of my Enemy, Part One, by Rich Wulf Becoming a Maho-Tsukai In 499 Jama and his friend Asahina Yajinden researched the journals of the corrupted sorcerer Kuni Nakanu, which had been found by the Otomo. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 13 Four Winds, p. 126 Suru had no magical aptitudes, and he could not attract the attention of even a minor kansen. Yajinden imprinted into Suru's spirit the same magical aptitude he carried, and thus Suru became a mighty shugenja and maho-tsukai. Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 65 Jama forced Suru and others to use such dark arts in his stead, while he and Yajinden remained pure. Blood Dawn, Part IX: One Tribe, by Rich Wulf Journey to the Burning Sands When Jama went on a diplomatic mission out of Rokugan, Suru followed him. They journeyed to the Burning Sands, but their travel through the Ujik-hai deserts was a disaster and only four remained. They were sheltered and imprisoned by Adisabah, a demon Rakshasa. Blood Dawn, Part VIII: Shadows of Yesterday, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Iuchiban After Otomo Jama managed to become a Khadi, a heartless sorecerer, he became known as "Iuchiban". Cutting out his Heart, he bound it within a mystical container and gave it to Suru. Using magic to bind Suru's loyalty to his own, Suru was ordered to hide Jama's heart and protect it from harm. Jama Suru would pass his name and duty to his heirs. Bloodspeakers, p. 67 Suru followed Iuchiban in his return to Rokugan. Blood Dawn, Part VIII: Shadows of Yesterday, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Rebirths Suru was so loyal that even his soul was never far from reach; when he died Iuchiban could simply summon back his wretched soul and bind it to a new body. In 618 one of the cult's sorcerers provided a host body for a kansen, increasing the power of each Suru's reincarnation and allowed them to keep his memories through the Kansen. Suru served Iuchiban for generations and his memories passed to each new vessel, and the early history of the cult remained at hand. Each new incarnation was one from the family of the previous incarnation, and the vessel changed his name to Jama Suru, the loyal servant of Iuchiban or his Oracle of Blood. Bloodspeakers, p. 70 Eight Century Incarnation Gathering Followers In 701 Suru recruited many of the survivors and descendants of the rebel People's Legion, serving under him. Imperial Histories 2, p. 130 Hunted Down In the first part of the 8th century Suru was hidden in the tower were Kuni Nikoma had researched the summoning of demons around six hundred years before. "Shokansuru, Master of Demons" (Biography), by Shawn Carman In 705 he began to be hunted down by Isawa Shokan, and in 709 Imperial Histories 2, p. 131 a group composed by the Emerald Magistrate and his men, Ichiro Munemitsu, Kitsu Yojireru, Mirumoto Hasaiki, Shiba Sentei and several yojimbo. In the fight Suru killed two of them before falling to the magistrates and being killed by Sentei - but not before the bloodspeaker had put a powerful curse upon Shokan, leading the magistrate in less than one year to become Shokansuru, a powerful Maho-tsukai oni summoner. A new Jama Suru emerged in 710. Visions of the Future Suru commanded his servant Shiba Mariko to take care of a prophet and seer, Asako Akiro, who was Mariko's cousin. In 749 she stabbed Akiro before he could reveal any of the prophecies. The visions were recorded and gathered in his satchel, but Akiro fell into a deep chasm from a cliff. Suru filled the chasm with rocks to avoid they could be retrieved. Visions of the Future, Part I, by Shawn Carman Second Rise of Iuchiban In 750 Iuchiban escaped from his Tomb, and marching toward Ryoko Owari with Suru as his second. After Iuchiban's defeat, Suru lost the control of the city after a fight of seven days. Way of the Minor Clans, pp. 115-116 Ryoko Owari had falled from his grasp in large part because his hatamoto Iuchi Hyotaru refused to recognize the ronin Reichin as a legitimate threat. Suru punished Hyotaru before he left, binding his tormented spirit in a large stone on the outskirts of the city. Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 19 Incarnation in the Tweltfh Century The same incarnation lived through the Clan War, War Against Shadow and part of the War of Spirits, until his death in 1148. Shahai In the twelfth century Suru met Shahai, a bloodspeaker Unicorn who was rising in power. Bleeding the Elements (Honor Bound flavor) Kuni Yori's Servant Suru was a servant of Kuni Yori after the Second Day of Thunder. In 1132 in the ruins of the seized Shiro Hiruma Suru requested that Yori march toward Isawa Woodlands, to search for the Shadows who hid within the forest. His real intention was to gather one of the Four Masks of Iuchiban, but it would help to finally be free of the shackles of Fu Leng's corruption. Yori guessed the betrayal of Suru and commanded Kyoso no Oni to escort Suru. Kyoso would find the Hidden Emperor Toturi while Suru sought the Mask. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 1, by Ree Soesbee Killing a Kami In 1132 Suru killed the Tenth Kami, Ryoshun. Somehow Suru was performing a maho ritual to trap the Kami Shinjo, but Ryoshun answered the spell's call instead. Suru drove his knife deep into the Kami's back... but discovered too late that it was not Shinjo who had been summoned. Deadly Fright (Soul of the Empire flavor) When Ryoshun died, his anguish awoke the Sun from grief. The Sun stepped down from the heavens and her eyes were cold and hard. Blood Rite (Soul of the Empire flavor) Otaku Kamoko In the Morikage Forest Suru sensed two Unicorn and used the Hidden Heart of Iuchiban to lure them both. The first to come was Otaku Kamoko and Suru tried to sacrifice her with gaijin magic to bind her to Iuchiban's soul. Kyoso wanted to kill Kamoko and knocked Suru backwards, breaking the Heart spell. The second lured Unicorn appeared at that moment, Otaku Xieng Chi, and she had recovered her mind. Immediately she began to fight the oni and used a jade finger against the Onilord, which susprisingly vanished. It gave time to Kamoko to flee. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 2, by Ree Soesbee Escape from Morikage Inside the Morikage castle Suru kept Xieng Chi as a hostage. Tsuruchi wounded him with an arrow, and Suru threatened with a knife to the Unicorn hostage. A Goju appeared and tore some shoji screens to ruin, revealing a chained man stood in the center of the room, Toturi I. The minions of the Shadows attacked the Tsuruchi group, and the sorcerer. Suru released Xieng Chi and began to chant, the Otaku released the Emperor from his chains, and the rest fought the Goju. Suru created a hole in the floor of the castle and many Goju fell through it. Xieng Chi was saved from the fall to death by Balash. While the Goju were rallying Suru, Xieng Chi and Toturi magically departed with a maho spell empowered with Kamoko's blood. Xieng Chi and the Emperor were later found by a Mantis patrol led by Unicorn scouts. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 3, by Ree Soesbee Ki-Rin Suru encouraged Kuni Yori to pursue and killed the Ki-rin, and Yori's forces came to Unicorn lands to murder them as much as possible. Sacrifice, by Rich Wulf The Darkness int he Shadowlands Lord Moon and Lady Sun were dead, the Kitsu had been partly corrupted, and the Shadow had allied with his master. Suru only saw a threat in the new commander of the Dark Moto, Otaku Kamoko. Clan Letter to the Horde #6 (Imperial Herald v3 #4) New Incarnation One of the reincarnations of Suru died in 1148, and his son, who was just seventeen, followed the tradition and was the new Suru. He became Iuchiban's underhand and led the Cult of the Blood-Red Moon to that end. He was appointed as a member of the Circle of Five. Bloodspeakers, p. 9 Appearance Suru's head was shaven bald, and his fingernails resembled claws and were painted in shining red. He wore dark robes embroidered in gold and silver thread. City of Blood The City of Tears was one of five cities that crossed over from Yomi at the time of the Battle of Oblivion's Gate and the Lying Darkness sent his minions to destroy it. The Council of Five casted a powerful ritual that saved the five cities. Hidden Emperor, pp. 94-95 The city was renamed City of Blood by the Bloodspeakers who first discovered it. Suru created a vision of the city being consumed by the Lying Darknes and remained hidden to the Empire as a bloodspeaker stronghold. Hidden Emperor, pp. 95 Daigotsu Suru swore fealty to Daigotsu when the Dark Lord won the supremacy in the Shadowlands. Suru tried to survive until the true master would come. Blood Dawn, Part II: Son of Stone, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Armor of Shadows When Hida Yakamo fell in the Shadowlands fighting to reclaim Shiro Hiruma, Jama Suru took his armor and hid it in a cave, where it became corrupted. Suru in 1158 decided to use it in a ploy to further corrupt Yoritomo Kumiko, with the aid of Tsuburu no Oni. The oni in return would have a place between the Daigotsu followers. Tsuburu no Oni sent the armor to the Mantis as a "gift" from the Scorpion (it was being worn by an undead Scorpion in a crate), where it was intercepted by Yoritomo Aramasu, who ordered it cleansed. Shadow Warrior, by Shawn Carman Fall of Otosan Uchi In 1159 during the Fall of Otosan Uchi Suru and the Nightmare of the Lion, Nikushimi, pillaged the Ancestral Mausoleum of the ashes of those who had defeated Iuchiban and the weapons that first defeated the Bloodspeaker. Battle for Otosan Uchi, Part 1, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman Third Rise of Iuchiban Suru for decades had collected drips of blood from the Seven Thunders. When Iuchiban was released from his tomb, and seized the City of the Lost defeating Daigotsu in 1165, Suru came to the Heartless and gave him the blood or items that held the Thunder's blood. With that and the sacrifice of the last Ki-rin Iuchiban enacted a terrible ritual that covered the entire Empire in a Rain of Blood. Hare Clan Iuchiban ordered Jama Suru to take an army and destroy the Hare Clan. Suru led the army, but the timely arrival of Daidoji Kikaze and the Crane cavalry saved the Hare. The Last Stand of the Hare Clan, by Rich Wulf News of Rokugan circa Lotus Edition, by Rich Wulf Ashalan Suru commanded Shosuro Haru to seek the Ashalan. Iuchiban would know more of them. Shosuro Haru (Reign of Blood flavor) Death In 1166 Suru and Mohai were killed in the Battle of the Northern Wall Mountains by Isawa Sezaru. Suru claimed he welcomed his impending death, as he was merely testing Sezaru's strength for his master. Hour of the Wolf, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Iuchiban could no longer find Suru's soul, and his loyal servant would never return to life. Legacy Suru wrote the Legacy of Jama Suru. Kukanchi (Ambition's Debt flavor) See also * Jama Suru/Meta External Links * Jama Suru (Hidden Emperor 5) * Jama Suru Exp (Soul of the Empire) Category:Shadowlands Personalities Category:Bloodspeakers Category:Phoenix Clan Members